China quarantines New Orleans mayor, wife over flu
NEW ORLEANS — Chinese authorities have quarantined New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and his wife in a Shanghai hotel after a passenger on their flight exhibited symptoms suspected to be swine flu.
Nagin’s office said the couple and a security guard were quarantined Sunday as a precaution and were exhibiting no flu symptoms.
In an e-mail statement, Nagin spokeswoman Ceeon Quiett said the three are “being treated with utmost courtesy” by Chinese officials.
Nagin “is feeling well and continues to be in communication with his staff,” according to Quiett. She did not know how long they would be quarantined. Quiett did not immediately answer an e-mail Monday for more information on how many people were quarantined or a status update on Nagin.
Nagin left Friday on an economic development trip through the eastern Pacific. He was to travel next to Australia to speak on climate change and sustainable building at the University of Sydney.
New Orleans’ departing recovery director, Ed Blakely, was a professor at the university and is among the conference’s scheduled speakers. He is due to return to the school to become a professor in urban policy after leaving city service this month.
China has been enforcing quarantines and temperature checks at airports throughout the country to prevent the virus from spreading.
The World Health Organization said it has spread to 69 countries and infected nearly 22,000 people. Most of the cases have been mild, although 126 people have died as a result of the disease.
Quiett said a passenger on Nagin’s flight to China had “signs and symptoms of an influenza-like illness suspected to be of the H1N1 subtype.” People sitting near that passenger on the flight from Newark, N.J., were quarantined. There was no word on what flight it was or how many people were aboard.
Quiett said Nagin and his wife have not been tested for swine flu.
Three other city employees on the trip were not sitting close enough to the passenger to be quarantined, Quiett said. They were the deputy head of the press office, James Ross, city economic development director Ernest Gethers and Lisa Ponce de Leon, director of international affairs.
The mayor and his party were scheduled to return to New Orleans June 15.
Last year, Nagin visited China to promote tourism and the port of New Orleans. He also traveled to South Africa and Panama.
Related News
Weary New Orleans awaits Obama's visit, hopeful it's more than just a photo opOctober 14th, 2009 A weary, hopeful New Orleans awaits Obama's visitNEW ORLEANS — Subrina McCrary believes President Barack Obama can support New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina by creating more jobs and helping build better schools. What she doesn't want is Obama using her Lower 9th Ward neighborhood as just another photo op.
Jury selection begins in civil trial over New Orleans crime camera programSeptember 14th, 2009 Trial beginning over New Orleans' crime camerasNEW ORLEANS — Jury selection began Monday in a civil trial that claims a rip-off scheme surrounding New Orleans' problem-plagued crime camera system. Southern Electronics Supply Inc.
Orleans Homebuilders President Michael Vesey diesAugust 28th, 2009 Orleans Homebuilders executive diesBENSALEM, Pa. — Michael Vesey, the president and chief operating officer of Orleans Homebuilders Inc., has died, the company said Friday.
Plane returns to Calif. airport after man allegedly strips, fights with crewAugust 20th, 2009 Naked passenger arrested on flight from Calif.OAKLAND, Calif. — Authorities say a St.
Census director: Forms will be hand-delivered in New Orleans to address post-Katrina worriesAugust 18th, 2009 Census Bureau to hand-deliver forms in New OrleansNEW ORLEANS — Census forms will be hand-delivered in the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas affected by the 2005 hurricanes Katrina and Rita to get the most accurate count possible following concerns that the region could lose federal representation and funding. The measures announced by U.S.
Ineligible for election, actor laughs over 'Brad Pitt for Mayor' T-shirt push in New OrleansAugust 13th, 2009 Pitt laughs over New Orleans mayor T-shirt pushNEW ORLEANS — The idea of Brad Pitt running for New Orleans mayor has generated a lot of buzz around the city even though he isn't eligible. It also generated some laughs for the actor in a Thursday television interview.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin wants people who plan to return counted as residents in CensusJuly 21st, 2009 New Orleans mayor wants Census to count displacedNEW ORLEANS — Mayor Ray Nagin wants hurricane-displaced people who plan to return to New Orleans counted as residents in the upcoming U.S. Census even if they live elsewhere.
Tech expert: Potentially years' worth of New Orleans' mayor's e-mails deletedJuly 2nd, 2009 Tech expert: Nagin e-mails disappearedNEW ORLEANS — A technology expert said Wednesday that potentially years' worth of Mayor Ray Nagin's e-mails have been deleted. Christopher Reade, a partner in a tech firm who assisted the Louisiana Technology Council in efforts to recover data for the mayor's office, said the mailbox was removed between June 2008 and May 2009.
Mayor of New Orleans released from quarantine in China, heads for Australian appearanceJune 10th, 2009 New Orleans mayor out of quarantine in ChinaNEW ORLEANS — After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin figured he could get through just about anything. But being held in quarantine in China amid swine flu concerns on what was supposed to be a simple economic development trip?
"It's pretty surreal," Nagin told The Associated Press Wednesday night, speaking from Australia hours after he, his wife, Seletha, and a security guard were released from the hotel they were taken to Sunday after a passenger on their flight from the U.S.
Spokeswoman: Not clear how long New Orleans mayor will be quarantined in ChinaJune 9th, 2009 Length of China quarantine uncertain for La. mayorNEW ORLEANS — A spokeswoman for New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin says Chinese officials haven't said when they'll end a quarantine for the mayor, his wife and a security guard.
China quarantines New Orleans Mayor Nagin, wife, guard after swine flu suspected on flightJune 8th, 2009 China quarantines New Orleans Mayor Nagin over fluNEW ORLEANS — Chinese authorities have quarantined New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, his wife and a security guard in Shanghai after another traveler on their flight from New Jersey exhibited suspected swine flu symptoms. Nagin's office said the three were quarantined in a hotel Sunday as a precaution and were exhibiting no flu symptoms.
New Orleans mayor quarantined in China after passenger on his plane had flu-like symptomsJune 7th, 2009 New Orleans mayor, wife quarantined in ChinaNEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and his wife have been quarantined in China after a passenger on their flight exhibited flu-like symptoms. Nagin's office said Sunday the couple and a security guard were quarantined at a hotel in Shanghai as a precaution and were exhibiting no swine flu symptoms.
China Eastern Airline flight leaves for China after being stranded at LA airport over 2 daysJune 3rd, 2009 Flight stuck at LA airport 2 days bound for ChinaLOS ANGELES — A China Eastern Airlines flight to Shanghai has finally left Los Angeles after being delayed almost three days and stranding 279 passengers. Local airline manager Johnny Qian (chehn) said the original flight Sunday afternoon was canceled because a light indicated a nose landing gear problem.
FBI statistics show New Orleans has regained its title as the nation's murder capitalJune 2nd, 2009 New Orleans again nation's murder capitalNEW ORLEANS — A newspaper analysis of fresh FBI statistics finds that New Orleans is once again the nation's murder capital. The Times-Picayune determined that with 64 killings per 100,000 people in 2008, New Orleans had the highest per capita murder rate in the nation, well ahead of second-place St.
China reports first suspected case of swine flu on mainlandMay 10th, 2009 China reports suspected swine flu caseBEIJING — A Chinese man returning from studying at a U.S. university has become the first suspected case of swine flu in mainland China, the Health Ministry said Sunday.
Loading ...